Joshua pusey



(No Model.)

J. PUSEY.

FRASER. No. 338,299. Patented Mar. 23,1886.

N, FETERS, PholoUlhogl-apher, Wnhingicn, D. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHUA PUSEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GUSTAVUS A. GOLDSMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ERASER.

SPEGEFIGATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,299, dated March 23, 1886.

' Application filed December 30, 1885. Serial No. 187,085. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSHUA PUsEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a.

certain new and useful Eraser -Holder, of which the following is a specification.

My invention, more particularly described, consists in an eraser-holding tube adapted for use in connection with pencils or like articles, provided with a spring-controlled automatically-acting sheath or case, which nor mally surrounds, covers, and protects the eraser, but which under pressure will recede and expose the rubber for use, the device being also so constructed that the protecting sheath or case may, if desired, be withdrawn from its normal projected position and permanently held back, thus exposing the eraser.

In the drawings like letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 illustrates a longitudinal View of the invention, partly in section, taken on the line 00 w of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 illustrates a crosssection of the invention, taken on the line :0 a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 illustrates a longitudinal view, partly in section, showing the bayonetjoint catch for the retention of the protectingtube in its retracted position. Fig. 4 illustrates a longitudinal view, partly in section, showing a modified construction for securing the protecting-tube in its retracted position. Fig. 5 illustrates the construction shown in Fig. 4, the protecting-tube being retracted, exposing the eraser. Fig. 6 illustrates a longitudinal view, partly in section, of a modified construction of the invention.

A represents a tubular eraser-holder, substantially the same as thosenow in general use. It is made of any suitable material, and is preferably split at its end, as seen at a, thus supplying elasticity to the holder, whereby it may be readily and with suitable firmness applied to either the pointed or the reverse end of a pencil or like implement in a manner now well known. It may, however, be rigidly attached to the pencil or like article, either with or without the slit a, if desired.

B is the erasing material. It is firmly held in the end of the holder A. It may be attached thereto by internal threads on the tecting tube or sheath.

holder, as illustrated, so that upon turning it its projection beyond the holder A may be adjusted, (this method is preferred,) or by pressure simply, or by cement, or in any other desired manner.

0 is a longitudinally-movable eraser pro- It is made of such diameter relative to the holder A as to slide freely on it, and is preferably roughened externally the better to allow the fingers to hold and move it.

D are inwardly-projecting lugs, which are attached to or punched out from the protectortube 0. They pass through and play in slots 0, formed longitudinally within the eraserholding tube A. Three of these lugs and slots are shown in the drawings, but no definite number is essential. Two or more are, however, desirable.

E is a spring, preferably a spiral spring, which is inclosed Within the holding-tube A in rear of the eraser and between it and the inwardly-extending circumferential knerl F.

One end of this spring abuts against a washer,. f, which is supported against the knerl F,

(although if the knerl be deep or prominent enough to hold the spring the washer need not be employed.) The other end of the spring rests against the inwardly-extending lugs D. The length of the protector-tube and its adjustment to the other parts is such that when in its most projected position it will extend slightly beyond and cover and protect the eraser B.

The foregoing is a description of the characteristic features of my invention in a simple form,and its operation is as follows: The spring E normally presses the protector-tube C forward into its projected position, wherein it surrounds, extends beyond, and thus protects the eraser from becoming soiled or damaged. Vhen it is desired to use the eraser, it is not necessary to withdraw the protector-tube C, but by simply pressing the end of this tube against the surface to be cleaned the tube will readily recede, the spring E being compressed, thus exposing the rubber and allowing it to come into contact with the matter to be rubbed out, and the moment the rubber is lifted from the paper the tube will automatically, being acted on by the spring E, move outwardly and again assume its normal projected position as a protector for the rubber without the performance of any act on the part of the user of the device; and, if desired, the protector-tube may be retracted by the thumb or fingers of the user, and thus be held back, exposing the rubber during its use, the end of the protectortube not comingin contact with the paper or other surface at all. In order, however, that the protector-tube may be retracted and held back positively, thus exposing the rubber withoutpressure from the thumb or fingers of the user, I slit the rear end of the protectortube longitudinally at several places, as at G, and give to the sections thus formed a spring set inwardly, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5, so that the protector-tube, being drawn back sufficiently for these spring-sections Gwill by their resiliency drop into and hold to the grooved outer face of the knerl F, and thus hold the protector-tube back against the stress of the spring E until again released by pushing it forward until the spring-sections are removed from the groove. Instead of this construction, however, I sometimes make a bayonet-joint catch in one or more of the slots 0, as seen at 9, into which the lugs D can enter upon drawing back the protector-tube 0 until they are coincident with the bayonet-joints and then rotating the tube slightly to enter the lugs in the bayonet-joints. Other methods for securing this end will suggest themselves to those familiar with this art. The peculiar method employed is not material.

In Fig. 6 I show an alternative method of constructing my invention, which has the advantage of reducing the total length of the rubber-liolding device, inasmuch as no space is required on the inside of the holding-tube for the spring E, which is placed upon the outside of the holding-tube, the protector'tube being outside of it. The spring abuts at its rear end against an outwardly-proj ected knerl, H, on the holder-tube and against an inwardlyextending knerl, I, on the protector tube. Ring-washers may be used at these places supported against these knerls, if desired. The

stop to prevent the protector-tube from being pushed entirely off by the spring may be provided in asimple manner by turning inwardly the rear-end of this tube, as at K; or another knerl, L, may be formed on the holding-tube, against which the knerl I on the protector-tube will strike when it is sufficiently projected.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the lugs D, coming in contact with the forward ends of the slot 0, serve as stops to limit the forward movement of the protector-tube.

I do not confine myself to the detail of construction shown, since it will be obvious to those familiar with this art that many deviations therefrom can be made and still my invention be employed.

Having described my invention, I claim-- l. In an eraser-protector, the combination of a tube for holding the eraser, a sleeve 1on- .gitudinally movable thereon adapted to project beyond the free end of the eraser,to come into contact with the matter to be erased, a stop for preventing the sleeve from escaping from said tube, and a spring adapted to retain said sleeve normally projected beyond the free end of the eraser, all constructed and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an eraser-protector, the combination of the eraser-holding tube provided with the slots closed at the ends thereof, the sleeve adapted to slide upon said tube,and provided with projections extending through said slots into the tube, and the spring contained within the latter and bearing against said projections, and thereby retaining said sleeve normally projected beyond the free end of the eraser, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, in an eraser-protector, of a tube for holding the eraser, a sleeve adapted to slide thereon, stops for limiting the movement of said sleeve, a spring for retaining the latter normally projected beyond the free end of the eraser, and means, such as shown and described, for retaining said sleeve retracted against the stress of the spring and releasing the same when desired, substantially as and for the purpose recited.

Signed at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, this 29th day of December, A. D. 1885.

JOSHUA PUSEY. 

